Easy, Free Alternatives to Plastic Wrap

FYI – you do NOT have to buy more stuff to join the eco revolution!

Instead, use what you already have. Get creative. Save money, time and the planet all at once.

Plastic wrap (also known as cling wrap, Saran wrap, plastic film) is one of the most commonly used single-use plastic items in many kitchens. It’s also completely unnecessary.

I’ve never truly grasped the need for it. Never in my 38 years of life have I needed it. Not in my childhood, not in my thrifty university years, and not as a mother of two busy-body kiddos. But maybe there’s something I’m missing…? Is there something people use it for that can’t be accomplished with one of the basic items below? If so, please share in the comments so maybe we can trouble shoot this together!

In the meantime, below are three FREE, EASY items that could solve the plastic wrap dilemma WITHOUT the need to accumulate more ‘stuff’.

{Note: I will demonstrate each solution with a dish of my leftover homemade spicy rainbow coleslaw… though you could replace this salad with any other food item – a half-eaten sandwich, a block of cheese, a heap of marinating veggies… whatever}

1. LIDS

I don’t know about you, but I have an overflowing “container” drawer (Pyrex, Anchor, old take-out containers, I even still have some baby food cube containers!), plus an entire cupboard full of jars WITH LIDS. When matched with a container, these lids are the ideal alternative to plastic wrap. I am pretty sure that’s why they were invented. Convenience, without the waste. Lidded jars and containers can literally hold just about anything and are easily transportable. So skip the non-recyclable**, non-degradable*** plastic wrap and opt for a lidded container.

2. PLATES

Yup. When it comes to food storage, plates can pretty much function as lids. In fact, using a plate over top of a dish in your fridge can actually help increase the usable space available (by allowing you to stack more items on top of the plates)! I often bring salads to neighbourhood potlucks and if my bowl doesn’t have a lid, but needs to be covered, I’ll just use a plate. Easy peasy. And free, and reusable. Obviously there are some situations where this trick is not ideal (e.g. if you’re packing a snack in your purse, or storing items on a surface that is not flat), but for many scenarios, plates are the ideal freely available solution!

3. BAGS

Depending what you’re covering up (e.g. dry bread vs. gooey pasta), you could use either cloth or plastic bags here. What?! Plastic?! you ask… Yes, if you’ve already got bags in your house, why not make use (and re-use, and re-use) of them?? If you have old plastic grocery bags kicking around, or if you have purchased something in plastic packaging (e.g. frozen fruit, bread, greens), for the planet’s sake, don’t toss them – USE them!

While we avoid plastic packaged items as much as possible in our household, sometimes even the fresh greens we receive in our local farm order arrive in a zip-sealed bag. Rather than sending them to landfill straight away, we simply rinse, store and reuse any bags that come into our house. Since plastic wrap and bags aren’t recyclable** or degradable***, we may as well use them to their fullest potential for as long as they can be useful. Use them in place of plastic wrap or other single use items (like sandwich bags, or produce bags) to freeze chopped fruit, to share baked goods with neighbours, or to store craft supplies!

And if you must buy…

Opt for an eco-friendly and reusable alternative. Beeswax wraps have become all the rage and new “biodegradable” cling wraps are being developed, but I’m just going to say our family of 4 is down to a small monthly jar of waste without the need for these things, so do not feel you need to go out and stock up on more stuff in order to reduce your plastic waste.

That said, beeswax wraps get rave reviews and apparently are easy to make yourself. Again, I haven’t bought them and have not tried making them as I don’t feel the need to, but I am certainly not discouraging people from buying or making them if it will help reduce food waste and the use of plastic wrap. As always, do what works for you and your family.

** plastic wrap is not recyclable in most municipalities (including Ottawa), and even in places where it is recycled, the process is resource-intensive, inefficient and even costlier than using virgin materials. Plus, much of it will still end up in landfill. Recycling is not the solution.

***plastic wrap can take centuries to degrade. Think about that. All the plastic wrap used in your lifetime will outlast you and even your children sitting in landfill.

So skip the plastic wrap.

In closing, here is a peek inside our plastic-wrap-free fridge — a few Pyrex containers, re-used jars and take-out containers, items wrapped in bags, but no plastic wrap needed.